A common question I am asked a lot is, where did handball start? People seem to want to know, who invented handball? The idea of throwing a ball to each other while keeping score has been around for a long time, but the handball’s actual rules had to come from somewhere.
Handball was invented in Denmark in 1898. The official rules of handball were written down in Berlin on October 29th, 1917. The first official game of handball took place in Germany the same year. Since then, minor rule changes have been adopted, but the fundamentals of the game have remained the same.
The indoor version of the sport was introduced into the Olympics in 1972 for men and 1976 for women.
The Danish are credited with creating the modern version of handball, but this game has been played for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
According to Britannica, the game of handball was played as far back as ancient Rome. Although, it’s likely their version of the game was a bit of a stretch from what we call handball today.
Romans called it pelota and brought it with them to France and Spain. From there, this simple ball game, with frequently changing rules, was introduced to many across the continent.
The first signs of pelota being played in the British Isles were around the 16th century. Finally, the modern game of handball started forming in Ireland in 1850.
The first written set of team handball rules was published in 1906 by the Danish gym teacher, Olympic medalist Holger Nielsen. That is why we credit the Danish for inventing the modern version of the game.
Which Country is the Best at Handball?
People often wonder which nation is the best at handball.
Currently, Denmark is considered to have the best men’s national handball team. They are the reigning, two-time, handball world champions winning in 2021 and 2019. Norway has the best women’s national handball team, which won the 2020 world championship.
One could argue that France is the best handball nation since they have won 6 world championships, most all-time, and have 11 total medals won at the tournament, second-most all-time. Additionally, they were back-to-back champions before Denmark’s current reign.
Another country that can’t be overlooked as one of the best handball nations is Sweden. They are 4-time world champions, second-most all-time, and have won 12 medals at the world championships, the most by any country. Although, the last time achieved victory at the tournament was back in 1999.
If you want to know more about the world rankings in men’s or women’s handball, visit the International Handball Federation.
Who Invented Handball?
Another question I am asked often is, who invent handball? As mentioned before, the fundamental game of handball has existed for hundreds, if not thousands of years, but the modern version of the game has a founding father.
Karl Schelenz is credited as the inventor of handball due to the fact that he wrote the modern rules of the game. He also wrote several books about the sport during his time as a physical education teacher in Germany. Karl Schelenz was a professional athlete specializing in long-jump.
The game of handball existed long before Mr.Schelenz came along. Thanks to his efforts, Europe had a unified rule book for the sport. Even though the game has evolved from its humble beginnings in the 1920s, the fundamental rules we follow are the same Karl Schelenz wrote down over 100 years ago.
Is Handball a Popular Sport?
It is one of the most popular sports in Europe and Australia.
Handball ranks as the 22 most popular sport in the world behind gymnastics and just ahead of wrestling. Professional games are usually streamed online while most TV coverage of handball takes place during world championship games.
I believe this sport is still growing and will become one of the biggest sports in the world in the near future.
Want to Know More About Handball?
If you want to learn all the rules of the game, I’ve put together an article with everything you need to know. It’s called Handball Rules, How to Play Handball. The guide is equipped with a bullet point list of all the rules you need to know to play the game. Regardless of if you play indoors or at a beach, the same rules apply.
There, you’ll find a downloadable PDF of all the rules and regulations. Feel free to download my guide and share it with your teammate and organization.
Keep playing this amazing game, and always remember to be competitive and have fun.